Soul bound
by C.l.Iles
Summary: “We are soul bound and there is nothing you can do about it, so deal with if doll face” -Vladimir
1. Chapter 1

The world we live in is a dangerous place, for we are soulbound.We have mark, the marks are connected. A woman's mark does not obtain color until they meet their soulbound; though, it doesn't matter here. 

Hollowhaven,that is the name of the township I live in. It does not believe in the soulbound; which angers the sun goddess Leona; making Hollowhaven poor because of it. Though our Chief does not care, for men rule our society. Hollowhaven is not on equal foot with other townships, seeing as the people of this township are hubristic. 

My name is Gwendolyn I do not have a surname, that name is to be given to me when I am out of the breeding pool. I fear going into it because my mama had told me stories of how horrific it is to be put through it. My mark is a cherry blossom branch that crawls up my side to my right shoulder it has no color, but to me it is still very pretty; though I know it will never have color. Not with how our township is, not even my mama's mark had color. Hers was a beautiful willow tree, fathers is what looks to be shattered glass; it has no color. Only the lucky ones find their soulbound during the breeding pool: my mama was an unlucky one. And from what I see when I walk in the township they look happy although women do still have the look of obedient.

Sighing I sat in front of my door as I listen to my father talking with Chief Jones about the upcoming breeding pool. "Jones I heard that your oldest son is going to be a judger for the pool, is this true?" 

There was a pause then he let out a hearty laugh "Yes, my sweet Gwendolyn turned sixteen last monday so she will be entering it. Sweet sun goddess if only I was younger and she weren't my daughter…" he didn't finish but he let out another laugh. Just hearing him made me want to vomit. How can such a man speak in a way of his child, though I'm not surprised he has always been a nasty man. Standing I quietly went to my bed looking down at the thin silky cream dress that I'm supposed to wear on breeding day. Looking to my window I looked to the stars and wished for something to happen on the day of the breeding pool. Laughing bitterly I pushed 

the dress off the bed and face planted onto it sadly. Once a woman reaches the age of 16 they're entered in the breeding pool where men of the township come and bid on the woman they want, but before it, women are put through different tests. Remembering back when I was younger I heard long-long ago women tried to revolt but sadly they were stopped. The moon God, Toronto, gifted men with powers of different animals incase something like that were to happen again, they can keep the women in there place.

The day is here, the day of the end of my free life. Looking into my mirror I'm faced with a beautiful girl with a body that could turn heads from my flat stomach,round hips,to my bust; I absolutely hate it. Pulling my waist long raven hair into a low tail, hating it more and more. Father says the beautifuls one go first, I don't want to. 'I don't wish to be beautiful, but fate has cursed me with it.' frowning I turned to the window hoping to see darkness, yet any hope that I had is burned by the bright lights of the arena that are to be seen. " Gwendolyn! Come it's time to leave; we must get you signed in" father called from down stairs. Sighing I slipped on the silky flats that were given with the dress. "Coming father." Leaving my room I went to my father where I see him smiling with pride in his eyes. 

" You look like your mother, come now". He held the door for me, and when I walked out so did father. He had closed the door to what little freedom I had. 

Climbing into fathers wagon I couldn't help but wish mama was here, yet I know she would be saddened to see me go. Father shut my door and also got in, although I don't like him I will miss him. The drive is smooth but the feeling of dread has been closing in the closer we get. There is a small chance that who bets on me is a kind hearted person but that is just a small chance but that doesn't stop me from have small hope . Father parked and lead me in, to sign me in and to get too the judging. "Now Gwendolyn behave for the nice men" Father told me with a glint in his eye. I was taken to a room filled with women of different looks; I was placed in between a tall lady with a large nose and a girl with beautiful eyes. It starts with bust sizing, listening I hear the tall lady be given the size of 23 B and the girl with beautiful eyes be given a 39 C. Frowning I was given a sad size of 40 D, soon the last woman was sized. They moved to weight, one girl was 248 lb I envy her, for I am 154lb. All the women are weighted different with high and low weights. When they moved to bottoms and stomach a girl tried to run her name was Faith, I went to etiquette classes with her when I was young. We watched as the men beat her when they finished she was taken away, we didn't see her come back.


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as the judging was done we were moved to the bidding area. My scores were nearly perfect much to my dismay; just looking at all the lust filled eyes made me sick. I wish mama was here to comfort me. The started the bidding with the women with the lowest scores meaning I would be near the end, though that didn't make me feel any better. "NO!!! Please not him I don't want to, this is inhuman," Maylynn cried out, she was a close friend. She had just been bid on, and the man Joey had done it. It sickens me seeing that sorry excuse of a man smile in a way you know there would be pain brought to her. She was brought to him; he hit her…… it hurts seeing her treated in this way. Maylynn looked away from him, we made eye contact and I feel the tears fighting to fall; that one hit has made her lip bleed. She moved her lips, reading out "stay brave Gwen". She was taken after that.

One by one women were bid on and taken; till it was a girl that was seen in the paper for having talent in drawing in turn which I learned her name to be Francen. As a man walked up to her it was shown on her face that she must have known him. A look of sadness flashed on her face,but a look in indifference so replaced it. Her eyes looked so dull they seemed to be dead. It seems so unreal as the line started to become shorter and shorter. The world started to spin as I listened to names be called, soft sad wimpers of girls being taken. Over and over this went on for some time but all time ceased its work when Gwendolyn was called.

Slowly I stepped up hearing a buzz of numbers being called from the crowd had made the butterflies turn to bees. I felt my heart pound, hear blood scream in my ears. The feeling of impending darkness crawled up my legs followed by that bit of hope that has yet to die. Lights shined on me like the others but they felt as if they were burning; is this what they felt? A number that could match then worth a 15 carat gold ring was called, making all yelling to stop as Mick, Doc.Green's grandson walked out of the crowd with a smile that could sour milk. Tears burned to be let out as he spoke though I could not hear for my heart was crying this-this is why I don't hope. To make it worse he walked close and put his slimy hand on my face. "Your even more stunding up close my flower" he whispered out with a slimy smile.I curse my fate for what it seems to be the millionths time today. 'Of course I had to bought by the man that had……….I can't even think of it, for would bring me great pain' I thought to myself. As he went to grab my hand; it seems if time slowed as an arrow shot out of nowhere going through his neck spraying warm sticky crimson liquid onto me. Screaming I jumped away as his limp body fell to the ground just as a dozens more flew through the air hitting more and more people.

Weaving through the crowd of running people trying to escape the building. Hearing screams of sorrow ring through all, I felt true terror run down my veins.Halls seem to never end, colors only changing in and out of tan, red, white, and brown. Turning Right, right, then left the signs aren't helpful when mass chaos is about. A large arch that bleeds light calls out to me, pulling me out. Breaking through the arch I made it outside only to see flames dancing through Hollowhaven, seeing no other opinion I made a brake for the forest that was half a mile down the road. "I-IT'S THEM IT'S RIVERBANE!" a cry came from the east, but it was soon silenced. 'Them no it can't be, Riverbane why them' I pleaded to myself. Turning down a road that went through a housing area; the site of it makes my stomach ache. Bodies lay dead others in the midst of death, people of Riverbane making carnage. Shaking my head as tears of pain fell, I continued to run through it all. My legs burned and my lungs begged for me to stop, but I couldn't the forest would bring me safety.

Almost there just a few more yards just past the market; I was starting to feel a small hint of hope, so close so so close. I was at the halfway point past the market when the smell really hit me, stopping for a moment was all it took for my body to really show how tired it was becoming. Panting I rested behind a parked wagen and a small wall hiding from prying eyes; slowing my breathing and calming my saddened heart. Tears fell as I listened to the screaming, cries. The heavy smell of iron hung in the air with the ashy smell of fire. Jumping slightly as sound of screaming was coming closer to my spot of hiding. Seeing shadows of people closing in I laid flat and sliding under the wagen just as someone fell next to it. A young man from the looks of it he was 14 or so, was the one that fell an arrow to the back. Holding my mouth as three pairs of legs came into view the young man looked right into my eyes pain clear in his eyes he gave me a small small as one of the legs came up and shot one last arrow into his head. Biting my lip hard tears once again falling, the four people I now know as men started talking about how pitiful Hollowhaven truly is, and how many people have died by their hands, laughing about it. A gruff but husky voice cut in as a new pair of legs joined from where I had came from " Watmore, Wright, Hillsonn did you forget why we are here; stop fooling around!" the new man bellowed. "Yes sir, sorry sir" blurted out the three men. Turning my head slightly to look at the new persons legs; I felt painful pressure on my back making me bit my lip even harder to the point where it started to bleed. A low pain filled growl came from the new person; it was all I needed to know that I found my Soulbound, and he was a monster.


	3. Chapter 3

As the three men went towards the back of the wagen probably to check on soulbound I inched to the front hoping to make a brake for it; though, I don't know what animal any of them represent. " Chief Mitchell are you okay?" one of them asked in concern. Shaking my head to clear my head my soulbould is a chief I continued slowly but surely 'If I make any noise I'll be caught, I can't be caught" I thought trying give myself some motivation . They started to talk lowly as if trying to hear for me. Though that may be true I need to get to the tree line; no matter what. Just as I make it to the front of the wagen, I heard a low growl then slow steps that came from the back. Hurrying I crawled out from under the large wagen scraping my pale knee; however, I did not feel the pain as I took off running.There was deep growl whom I assume came from my soulbound. A small voice in the back of my head whispered for me to stop I didn't listen to it not when my life could be on the line. It took a bout a minute for the shock to wear off them but in that minute I got almost half way when they took off after me.

" STOP RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!" the husky voice of my soulbound bellowed behind me. His voice made me falter in my steps almost making me fall. When I didn't stop: when I disobeyed him, he let out an enrage growl. That alone made my skin crawl; shaking my head I broke through into the tree line. Smiling it should be easier to lose them but I still don't know what animal any of them represent and that is just unnerving. 

My arms, legs and the thin dress kept getting snagged and scratched on any and every bush, branch, and dead twig. The flats I was wearing are somewhere between the market and the arena; which does not help me at all as I ran through the forest. Everytime I start to think I've lost them I would hear shouting, and anger yelling. I can't keep going my lungs feel as if I've drank liquid fire my leg are starting to numb, and the taste of iron from my busted lip is making me sick. Stopping and leaning against a tree I'm startled when my hand doesn't hit tree but a hole in the tree: bending down I find a hole that's not very big but if and just if I can squeeze into it. Hearing footsteps coming closer I started climbing in, only for my hips to start to get stuck I pulled harder on my lower half to get it in. Finally getting in to the tight space I hugged myself as all the pain from running so much seemed to hit me all at once. I didn't even think about relaxing they were still out there and this tree is rotting making it a not so good hiding spot but it will work for now hopefully 

The sound of slow footsteps shakes me out of my thinking; fearful bumps ran down my shaking arms. Someone walked passed the rotting hole with anger filled steps seeming just ignore it, smiling as I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in. The world around me seemed quite till it wasn't. Thin arms shot through the at a striking speed grabbing on to my legs, pulling me out with painful force. A scream ripped through me as I was dragged out, the ruff bark and ground wrapping my arms, back in cuts that burned at any air that got to them. Eyes shut tight as a hand covered my screams; snapping my eyes open only to look into snake like eyes.

"Why did you run sssweetheart, we only wanted to talk to you sssso why run?" the snake like man asked. Breaking out in a cold sweat he had called upon his animal, He gripped my arms as he pulled me to my feet he was holding so tightly that I'm sure it's too bruise badly. He Shot a arrow with an orange band on it into the air, the he began to pull me to what I would guess was to regroup. The closer we got to the group of men I started to feel even more terrified than I already was. Tugging at arm trying to break free only to have his nails dig into my pale skin as he tightened his grip even more. "Keep it up sssweetheart and your little arm will be snapped, I gotsss no clue why Chief Mitchell wantssss anything todo with a weak trollop like you" Snake man hissed into my ear angrily. 

I swallowed the tears refusing to show my pain,thinking to myself 'trollop? Oh yeah I'm properly in shambles. Maybe when soulbound sees me like this he'll just kill me right away.''


End file.
